The first stage of this year's Tour takes us from Leeds to Harrogate. Marcel Kittel and Andre Greipel are the favourites, but a moderately hilly finish will put Peter Sagan in the mix as well. Arnaud Demare and Matthew Goss are other riders to look out for.

And so here we are at the start of the Tour de France 2013. The riders are at the Grand Depart in Leeds, England. Some will be hoping to take a couple of sprint stages, some will be hoping to challenge for the General Classification, and some are literally just there to make up the numbers. All we know is; these riders will struggle; some maybe just today, some for the next three weeks.


It only takes 1 kilometre for the first attack of the Tour. The escapees are led by Orica-GreenEdge's Svein Tuft. He is followed by Yoann Offredo, Gastis Smukulis, Robbie Hunter and Gorkoitz Bravo.


It doesn't take too long for the break of the day to form. The riders up the road are Bravo, Alessandro Ballan, Nick Nuyens and Offredo.


The peloton managed to drop a large group of riders, but they all got back in due time.


Ballan wins the first climb of the Tour.


Nuyens wins the sprint and the next climb, before Ballan takes the last one.


The breakaway is caught 11km out. It's a battle between the sprinters now.


There isn't much organisation yet, but out of the sprinters, Greipel, Sagan and Goss are in the best positions.


With 2.5km left the main guys are at the front. Goss and Farrar are on the back of the Cannondale train, while Demare latches on the Lotto's bunch. Meanwhile, Marcel Kittel is having trouble getting through to his team.


The sprint starts and Greipel and Sagan seem to be in the best positions. Goss was shaken off the Cannondale train and had to go far too early; Farrar can still latch off him though.


Arnaud Demare has broken through and looks set to podium at worst. Roberto Ferrari has also come through.


But no-one is going to stop Arnaud Demare from taking a (spiritual) home-town victory. It may be in England, but it's the Tour de France after all.


Sagan beats Greipel to 2nd in a photo-finish. Marcel Kittel comes back well to take 4th while Goss and Farrar take 8th and 9th respectively after their strong starts.